Councillor's disgust at fly tipping in cemetery

Councillor's disgust at fly tipping in cemetery

A PARISH COUNCILLOR was “disgusted” to see a mound of fly tipping dumped at the car park of Hullavington Cemetery.

But Chair of Hullavington Parish Council Cllr Maggie Bawden was happy to see parishioners come together to clear the mess.

On Thursday, November 16, the council was alerted to a large pile of concrete blocks, stone slabs, fencing panels, a wooden gate, bramble cuttings, soil and wood mindlessly dumped in the cemetery car park.

“The whole area is consecrated ground, I am disgusted”, Cllr Bawden said. “There are no other words to describe the feeling when you see something that that happen on consecrated ground.”

The council decided to clear the rubbish themselves as the cost of getting it removed was considered to be too high.

As the money to dispose of it came out of the Parish precept, rather than paying a company £696, they payed £196 to hire a skip and do it themselves.

The skip was delivered on Friday, November 24, and councillors planned to clear the mess the following Saturday, armed with shovels and brooms.

However a kind-hearted villager, Ian Stevenson, of building firm Stevenson and Sons based in Hullavington cleared the majority of the rubbish on Friday afternoon.

Cllr Bawden said: “I received a call from parishioner Ian Stevenson who was aware of the problem, informing me that he and his son had taken his digger into the cemetery and put the rubbish into the skip. It was brilliant of him quite honestly.”

When Councillors Andrew Maltby, Dave Martin, and Frank Slater arrived on Saturday morning, there was very little for them left to do.

“It’s events like this that make you realise what a special village Hullavington is.

“The voluntary work undertaken by Ian saved a lot of backbreaking work for the working party, and the Parish Council is very grateful for his contribution to this task.

“We must also say thanks to the councillors who gave up their time and worked to achieve this result.”

A combination padlock and chain has now been used to secure the cemetery gates. The pedestrian gates are still open to use.

The council apologises for the inconvenience for those who wish to access the cemetery via car.

Ipsoregulated

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